Valamin
The Valamin are icy mountain-dwelling types, yet they are the masters of the art of fire. Originally hailing from low rocky regions, after a cultural schism, many Valamin had been banished to the mountains and colder regions. While initially intending to find somewhere else to go live their lives, they were quick to realize this was not worth the hassle, and to this day Valamin predominantly live in the snows. Physical Description The Valamin have a natural tendency towards the short and stocky side of things, and in fact huskiness is a celebrated trait in their society. They are the shortest species, and heaviest for their height. They have long since lost the ability to fly naturally, though some Valamin choose to fly using borrowed wind magics from the Kiminan. Every inch of a Valamin is covered in either scales or skin, which they shed fairly regularly. These scales most always come in shades of warm browns and tan, darker on the top and lighter on the bottom. Aside from this, most have hints of orange scattered across their bodies. While this coloration is not conducive to good camouflage in their snowy home, it is worth noting that they originate from the savannas, rather than the peaks. Regardless, they make up for it with using their pyromancy to hunt. Nobody ever said they had to play fair, now did they? The face of a Valamin is naturally soft and rounded off, and notably hornless, unlike every other sapient race. The upper lip has six to eight heat pits, quite useful for detecting prey in the snow, and at the top and back of the head are two very large, triangular, cat-like ears. Due to their similarities, it is widely believed that the Valamin and Kiminan are closer related to each other than to any of the other sapient races. Culture The Valamin, being residents of icy regions primarily and nigh exclusively, value tight-knit bonds and physical affection. Most believe in a warmth in companionship that cannot be replicated elsewhere, and this is a commonly depicted ideal in hide paintings worn by familial leaders and tribal leaders alike. Closely knit families and friend groups are common, and family in particular is considered to have a sacred bond. Valamin typically form tribes wherein families are the base unit of society. These tribes are usually headed by the family that can, altogether, provide the most for the tribe if and when other families cannot. While there are outliers to this structure, they are uncommon, and are ostracized by tribes following the more typical structure. Tribes with surplus resources will often trade with neighboring tribes for their surplus resources. On occasion, this has led to tribal alliances and annexation. Clothing, Weaponry, & Armor Due to the absence of convenient plant material for weaving, all clothing is made from animal hides, sinews, and feathers. Snow-griffin hide is a staple, and it is considered a rite of passage in many tribes to hunt a snow-griffin for the first time during mid-adolescence. Wolf skins, and on rare occasions, moose hides are also used. Pigments from animal blood and charcoal are frequently used to paint designs on hides, and often these designs tell personal stories or espouse personal values. Due to the absence of other pigments, Valamin artworks are typically characterized by dark red and black pigments against a white background. Weaponry and armors are typically made from the bones of prey. Spears are often made from sharpened jawbones and tied to particularly long branches or other bones using sinews from the same animal. Knives and throwing blades are made similarly. Skulls are typically saved for artistic or ritual purposes, and are often worn as headdresses and shoulder pads by the leading families of tribes. Teeth are used in necklaces, bracelets, and are often woven into the edges of hidewears as well. Traditions The Valamin practice many ceremonies, rites of passage, and holidays of cultural importance. Most ceremonies and rites of passage are treated within the race's general culture as personal milestones. One such major rite of passage, coupled as well with a ceremony afterward, is a juvenile Valamin's first snow-griffin hunt. This hunt typically takes place shortly after the individual's 16th birthday celebration. A snow-griffin is located and tracked for the adolescent to begin hunting, typically an elderly or wounded drake. If and when the kill is made, a celebratory meal is cooked using the animal's meat and bones and the adolescent will set to work on creating their own hidewear for the first time. In regions where snow-griffins are scarce, moose are considered acceptable substitutes. It is worth noting that the juvenile does not hunt on their own and is assisted by adult Valamin. The adolescent is simply the one tasked with making the kill. Other rites of passage include the first voyage to the nearest other tribe at age 16, the first day spent camping alone in the wilderness at age 18, and first advanced fire-dance at age 20. Ceremonies are not conducted for these, however most Valamin are offered gifts upon arrival home. Events that do warrant a ceremony include introduction of a new family unit, the union of two Valamin, and the birth of a new child. Category:Races Category:Valamin